Two Things:

[Slapstick]

I posted this on another thread:

High-profile penalties obscure truth about the Steelers

...For someone who only watches highlights from afar they might get the idea the Steelers are one of the most undisciplined teams in the NFL.


It turns out they are the most disciplined, at least in terms of number of penalties.


The Steelers are the least penalized team in the NFL. They have committed 73 penalties this season for 735 yards...

... [Tomlin] "We’re not perfect. We are going to be penalized. We have been penalized. Largely, I would like us to be less penalized than those we compete against.”

Then, consider this:

[URL]http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2015/12/optimum_performance_nfl_injuri_1.html[/URL]

Here's how Mangameslost.com rates the current NFL damage control: "Although the New York Giants (136), New England Patriots (135) and Baltimore Ravens (135) lead the league in number of games lost to injury, it is actually the Pittsburgh Steelers who have a strong case that they are most impacted by injuries. The Steelers sit 9th in games lost to injury with 114, but they are tops in the league in IIT-average total (injury impact to team) with 1.563. They are impacted most in the league since their players that are injured, particularly in the Passer category (IIT-average passer) and Defense category (IIT average defense) have greater Approximate Value ratings from Pro-Football – Reference.com."

Competing for a playoff spot with the least penalties and worst injuries in the league?

That Tomlin will have done a hell of a job if this team makes the playoffs...

[WindyCitySteel]

That massaged stat doesn't take into account the quality of the backups, either. Does Colbert get credit for signing DeAngelo Williams? Does Munchak get credit for developing Villanueva and Wallace?

We're 9th in games lost, we also will have played 6 backup QBs by season's end - Cle * 2, Indy, Cin, Den, Bal.

This is a team with a loaded offensive roster and a defense with lot so high draft picks and a former DPOY.

The playoff should be assumed.

[Slapstick]

The playoff should be assumed.

And that is why you fail...

You can never assume playoffs...

[WindyCitySteel]

And that is why you fail...

You can never assume playoffs...

Tell that to the Patriots. They're 11-2 with the most injuries in the league. Do they have a starting OL left? That roster stinks outside of Brady, Gronk, and a couple LBs.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

That massaged stat doesn't take into account the quality of the backups, either. Does Colbert get credit for signing DeAngelo Williams? Does Munchak get credit for developing Villanueva and Wallace?

We're 9th in games lost, we also will have played 6 backup QBs by season's end - Cle * 2, Indy, Cin, Den, Bal.

This is a team with a loaded offensive roster and a defense with lot so high draft picks and a former DPOY.

The playoff should be assumed.

"Former DPOY". Are you referring to the 36-year old coaxed out of retirement because the talent we could field was so thin? That's how you support your point of view, seriously? That does nothing but undercut whatever point you are making. Which seems to consistently be that you believe the Steelers Suck. As far as I can tell. Am I wrong?

[Slapstick]

Tell that to the Patriots. They're 11-2 with the most injuries in the league. Do they have a starting OL left? That roster stinks outside of Brady, Gronk, and a couple LBs.

If we got to play in a division where teams were chronically and perennially mismanaged, we could assume playoffs as well...

[Slapstick]

This is telling. It is the playoff representatives of the AFC North and the AFC East over the past five seasons:

2014 Playoffs – AFCN = Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati
AFCE = New England

2013 Playoffs – AFCN = Cincinnati
AFCE = New England

2012 Playoffs – AFCN = Baltimore, Cincinnati
AFCE = New England

2011 Playoffs – AFCN = Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati
AFCE = New England

2010 Playoffs – AFCN =Pittsburgh, Baltimore
ACFE = New England, New York

Out of the last five seasons, there is only one year where the AFC North sent a single team to the playoffs while there is only one season where the AFC East sent more than a single team...

This season, history could easily repeat itself...if the Steelers and Chiefs win out, the Jets sit at home...

[WindyCitySteel]

"Former DPOY". Are you referring to the 36-year old coaxed out of retirement because the talent we could field was so thin? That's how you support your point of view, seriously? That does nothing but undercut whatever point you are making. Which seems to consistently be that you believe the Steelers Suck. As far as I can tell. Am I wrong?

The defense has plenty of talent, they just haven't been able to get them to play to it for various reasons. If our entire D had the same talent we have at CB, there would be little we could do.

[WindyCitySteel]

This is telling. It is the playoff representatives of the AFC North and the AFC East over the past five seasons:

2014 Playoffs – AFCN = Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati
AFCE = New England

2013 Playoffs – AFCN = Cincinnati
AFCE = New England

2012 Playoffs – AFCN = Baltimore, Cincinnati
AFCE = New England

2011 Playoffs – AFCN = Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati
AFCE = New England

2010 Playoffs – AFCN =Pittsburgh, Baltimore
ACFE = New England, New York

Out of the last five seasons, there is only one year where the AFC North sent a single team to the playoffs while there is only one season where the AFC East sent more than a single team...

This season, history could easily repeat itself...if the Steelers and Chiefs win out, the Jets sit at home...

I agree that the Steelers have played in the tougher division, but you can look at recent years where they missed or were seeded lower than they should have been because they lost to bad teams outside the division. And Cleveland is a guaranteed 2 win head start every year, or should be.

[papillon]

The defense has plenty of talent, they just haven't been able to get them to play to it for various reasons. If our entire D had the same talent we have at CB, there would be little we could do.

Define "plenty of talent"

The defense has some up and coming linemen in Heyward and Tuitt. They have a host of adequate LBs at this point, none of them stand out, otherwise they wouldn't be rotating every LB position. The secondary for the most part is a hot mess, there is simply no other way to state it, except for Will Gay who is a good, not great CB.

If the Steelers had an average offense this year they would in all likelihood have 4 or 5 wins, maybe. The offense, even though they aren't always scoring TDs is managing to chew up yards and put some points on the board which keeps the defense on the sideline and protects them. If the offense wasn't moving the ball and they were giving up a lot of 3 and outs the defense would not be able to hold up.

The defense has also benefited from not playing a lot of top flight QBs and it seems they are going to miss another one this weekend.

The offense is the reason that the defense looks reasonable, IMO.

Pappy

[Slapstick]

I agree that the Steelers have played in the tougher division, but you can look at recent years where they missed or were seeded lower than they should have been because they lost to bad teams outside the division. And Cleveland is a guaranteed 2 win head start every year, or should be.

Imagine if we got a 6 game head start, like the Pats** always seem to!

[WindyCitySteel]

Define "plenty of talent"

The defense has some up and coming linemen in Heyward and Tuitt. They have a host of adequate LBs at this point, none of them stand out, otherwise they wouldn't be rotating every LB position. The secondary for the most part is a hot mess, there is simply no other way to state it, except for Will Gay who is a good, not great CB.

If the Steelers had an average offense this year they would in all likelihood have 4 or 5 wins, maybe. The offense, even though they aren't always scoring TDs is managing to chew up yards and put some points on the board which keeps the defense on the sideline and protects them. If the offense wasn't moving the ball and they were giving up a lot of 3 and outs the defense would not be able to hold up.

The defense has also benefited from not playing a lot of top flight QBs and it seems they are going to miss another one this weekend.

The offense is the reason that the defense looks reasonable, IMO.

Pappy

Are we getting the most out of 4 #1 draft picks at LB? It's a young defense - are they asking them to learn too much? They have the athletes and pedigree, not the production.

[Slapstick]

Teams rotate defensive linemen routinely...why wouldn't a 3-4 team rotate LBs?

The problem is not our front seven...as a unit, our front seven performs well. They are top 10 in rush defense (#6) and have allowed the second fewest rushing TDs...the Steelers defense is also at the top of the NFL for causing rushing fumbles...

Of the Steelers 38 team sacks (5th in the NFL), all but 4 have been produced by members of the front seven...34 sacks (subtracting the sacks from the secondary) would still place the Steelers in the top 10 for sacks in the NFL...

The problem is our secondary as far as yards go...but even so, they are good at intercepting the ball...out of the Steelers 14 INTs (tied for 6th in the NFL), 11 have been produced by members of the defensive secondary...11 would tie the Steelers for 13th in the NFL...

[WindyCitySteel]

Teams rotate defensive linemen routinely...why wouldn't a 3-4 team rotate LBs?

How often did we rotate Deebo, Woodley, Farrior, and Foote in 2008?

The problem is not our front seven...as a unit, our front seven performs well. They are top 10 in rush defense (#6) and have allowed the second fewest rushing TDs...the Steelers defense is also at the top of the NFL for causing rushing fumbles...

Of the Steelers 38 team sacks (5th in the NFL), all but 4 have been produced by members of the front seven...34 sacks (subtracting the sacks from the secondary) would still place the Steelers in the top 10 for sacks in the NFL...

The problem is our secondary as far as yards go...but even so, they are good at intercepting the ball...out of the Steelers 14 INTs (tied for 6th in the NFL), 11 have been produced by members of the defensive secondary...11 would tie the Steelers for 13th in the NFL...

Obviously the biggest problem is the secondary, but we're not getting enough pressure from the OLBs. The LBs are also terrible in coverage.

[Slapstick]

How often did we rotate Deebo, Woodley, Farrior, and Foote in 2008?

How did that work for the D when they were gassed in the 2nd half of the SB? Thank God for Ben and 2008 Santonio!

I truly believe that is why the Steelers had a documented tendency to blow 4th quarter leads...it wasn't scheme, it was tired LBs...

Obviously the biggest problem is the secondary, but we're not getting enough pressure from the OLBs. The LBs are also terrible in coverage.

I disagree...